1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trash containers having closure elements designed to selectively seal the top of the trash containers and lock a closure element in a closed position atop the trash container. The invention is particularly directed towards animal-proof trash containers of the aforementioned type.
2. Description of the Related Art
The problem of animals such as skunks, raccoons, cats and dogs, scavenging through unattended trash cans is well known. Many attempts have been made to conceive trash containers which address and solve this problem. For example, both the aforestated problems and a proposed solution is discussed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,054.
The solution proposed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,054 is to provide a trash container in which a lid is tightly threaded and screwed onto the upper portion of a container, thereby rendering it difficult for an animal to open the container and also preventing odors from escaping from the container. One difficulty with this proposed solution is that a tightly threaded lid connected to a trash container may also be difficult for the owner to open.
Another trash receptacle having a closure element is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,053. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,053 incorporates a resilient latch system in which a latch on a cover engages a cooperating latch on a container. The latch system disclosed includes a relatively complicated and presumably expensive cooperating mechanical structure. The actuator for the lid is located externally with respect to the container and remote from the lid structure itself, and is accordingly readily accessible to scavenger animals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,321 discloses a trash can designed to include structure for transferring the contents of the can to expandable trash bags and the like. This patent shows the lower lip of a closure element engaging an upper lip of the container to allow a cover to be removably mounted on the container. Handles on the cover include hook structures which are designed to engage a portion of the container and secure the cover thereon. The cover on such trash cans is easily and completely removable once the hook like structures on the cover are disengaged from the container. Such disengagement frequently occurs when scavengers topple or otherwise manipulate the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,110 also discloses a trash container in which a top cover may be easily and completely removed from the container body. Slots defined in opposed sides of the container receive portions of the rim of the cover, and a releasable latch structure is provided to removably mount the cover to the container. The cover interlocks with the can using an interlocking hooklike structure similar to the one described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,321. As indicated hereinbefore, the prior art locking mechanisms employing hooklike structures on a cover to engage a portion of a container, are relatively easy for scavengers to defeat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,612 disclosed a container and cover arrangement in which the cover engages the container by an interfitting rib and groove arrangement. This arrangement also includes a pivotal (swingable) catch member on the container which is received through an opening in the cover, thereby requiring various cooperating mechanical elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,185,710 discloses a trash receptacle in which a cover is hingedly mounted to a container and secured in a closed position by wires passing through the cover and engaged by external handles mounted to the container. These wires are externally exposed, and therefore readily removable form the external handles on the cover to enable the cover to be opened by a scavenger animal.
Other containers known to the art having closure elements, although not trash containers, are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,687,157; 4,520,920; 4,494,650; and 4,437,566.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,157 is directed to an attachecase type structure in which one pivotal member carries a tab having an opening and a second pivotal member carries a nib 11 adapted to be received in the opening for selectively closing the case.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,920 is directed a child-proof-proof or tamper-proof vial for containing medicines which includes at least two bosses extending outwardly from the side of the container which are adapted to engage two corresponding openings in the cover for selectively locking the cover to the container. The cover is completely removed from the container in the unlocked container.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,650 discloses a display package in which the top part of a container snaps into the bottom part of the container to assemble an overall container structure.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,566 discloses a child-proof container or dispenser having a housing, a tray slideable into an out of the housing, and locking means for the tray including a protuberance which engages a complimentary opening in the housing.
It is apparent that the above described known prior art does not disclose a trash container which can be economically produced with relatively few mechanical components and which, in a preferred embodiment, includes a cover permanently mounted to the container and means for selectively locking the cover in a closed position on the container in a manner which renders the overall container animal-proof. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a container of this type.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a trash container which can be economically produced with relatively few mechanical components and which, in an alternate embodiment, includes a removable cover which can be placed over the container and cooperate with means for selectively locking the cover in a closed position on the container in a manner which also renders the overall container animal-proof.